Oneplus One Vs Xiaomi mi4
Design
The OnePlus One (Review | Photos) is larger than the Xiaomi Mi 4 (Review | Photos), at 152.9×75.9mm compared to 139.2×68.5mm. Both phones are 8.9mm thick, but the OnePlus One is also heavier. The Mi 4 is therefore easier to hold and use in one hand. More importantly, the One has a very rough matte texture on the sides and rear, which a number of customers have found unpleasant. The Mi 4 has plastic front and rear panels but a metal frame with bevelled edges. While Xiaomi’s design has hints of Apple and Samsung, the OnePlus One definitely looks original. Also, while the Mi 4 is only available in white in India, the One is only available in black.
Display
The OnePlus One has a 5.5-inch screen while the Mi 4’s measures 5 inches diagonally. Both have a common resolution of 1080×1920, which means the Mi 4 is quite a bit sharper. Both are comparable in terms of screen quality and viewing angles.
Hardware
Both phones use the same SoC, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 801, which has four CPU cores running at 2.5GHz and an Adreno 330 GPU. Both phones also have 3GB of RAM. The OnePlus One supports LTE on Indian bands while the Mi 4 does not.
software
This is easily the biggest differentiator between two very evenly matched competitors. The OnePlus One made a name for itself based on the promised Cyanogen OS, which due to legal issues will not materialise for Indian buyers. Current devices being sold still ship with Cyanogen OS, but updates will not be released and users will have to flash their phones when OnePlus’ in-house Oxygen OS is released. It is not yet known how much of Cyanogen’s power and customisability will be carried over to Oxygen OS. Cyanogen OS definitely looks rough, but has dozens of useful little tweaks that will be difficult to live without once you’re used to them.
On the other hand, Xiaomi’s approach has always been to reduce complexity and make things look attractive, which is why the emphasis is on slick packaging that borrows heavily from Apple’s design handbook. Xiaomi’s MIUI dispenses with the Android app drawer and so all icons and widgets live on the homescreens.
Both software ecosystems run on top of Android 4.4 and offer loads of customisation in the form of downloadable themes.
Cameras
Both, the Xiaomi Mi 4 and the OnePlus One have 13-megapixel rear cameras capable of recording 4K video at 30fps. In our tests, we found both performed well in daylight but had issues in low-light conditions. The Mi 4 generally produced photos with brighter, more vibrant colours while the OnePlus One produced duller colours but surfaced more detail. The two trade blows evenly, though we preferred the more natural tones of the OnePlus One.
In terms of the camera apps, Xiaomi has done a good job integrating multiple functions and making options easy to get to. Once again, if simplicity and usability are more important, this is the way to go.
Storage
Interestingly, while both are available internationally in 16GB and 64GB variants, Xiaomi has launched only the 16GB version of the Mi 4 here in India (so far) while OnePlus only offers the 64GB One. Neither device has a microSD card slot for storage expansion.
| PRICE | Rs.21,998  |
RS.12,999  |
| OS | Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat), upgradable to v4.4.4 (KitKat) | Android OS, v4.4.3 (KitKat) |
| CPU | Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400 | Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400 |
| RAM | 3 GB RAM | 3 GB RAM |
| SCREEN | 5.5 inches (~71.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.0 inches (~72.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| DISPLAY | 1080 x 1920 pixels (~401 ppi pixel density) | 1080 x 1920 pixels (~441 ppi pixel density) |
| SIM | Single SIM (Micro-SIM) | Single SIM (Micro-SIM) |
| CAMERA | Rear Camera: 13 MP, Front Camera: 5 MP, LED Flash: Yes | Rear Camera: 13 MP, Front Camera: 8 MP, LED Flash: Yes |
| MEMORY | Internal Storage 64 GB | Internal Storage 16 GB |
| BATTERY | Non-removable Li-Po 3100 mAh battery | Non-removable Li-Ion 3080 mAh battery |
| OTHERS | 4G, 3G, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS | 4G, 3G, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS |
Which One id better ?
In all honesty, it is a tight call between the OnePlus One and the Xiaomi Mi 4. In terms of core hardware functionality, the Mi 4 comes out on top in terms of display quality, camera quality and build quality. However, if you are looking at the complete package, then the OnePlus One is the one to go for as it adds 4G support, and has significantly more memory. The OnePlus One is also likely to get Android updates faster and in general usage it feels like the faster phone.
But at the same time, the One Plus One also costs Rs.2,000 extra.
If you do not mind the limited memory and the omission of 4G support then the Mi 4 is the better phone. But if you need 4G and is willing to spend Rs.2,000 more for it, One Plus One is the phone for you.
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